Tryon: Manatee schools must focus on results

Published: Sunday, March 24, 2013 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 22, 2013 at 5:16 p.m.

Rick Mills, the new superintendent of Manatee County public schools, says that his "100-day entry plan" will be guided by one of the "21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership."

When I read Mills' reference to a leadership guru, my eyes rolled.

That's because nifty sayings about leadership are a dime a dozen (even though they originate in costly how-to books and are dispensed in high-priced seminars).

What's more, I have lost count of the number of new administrators who have introduced their initiatives for this community with sayings that are so generic they apply to Anywhere, U.S.A.

But, after reading the quotation in Mills' plan and reflecting on the unique challenges he and the Manatee school district face, I was impressed by his choice of words.

"People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision," Mills wrote, citing one of leadership guru John Maxwell's maxims.

During my 32 years of journalism in Manatee and Sarasota counties, few new local government leaders have needed buy-in -- from employees to members of the public -- more than Manatee's new superintendent.

Mills replaced Tim McGonegal, whose dedication to the job and respect for employees I admired -- which made his administration's serious failures, including some inexplicable mistakes in basic budgeting and accounting, painful to witness.

McGonegal went from losing the trust of two renegade School Board members to losing the confidence of the entire board -- and the public -- after the series of preventable, big-dollar errors.

In the five decades before McGonegal's downfall, Manatee's superintendents had earned and maintained a substantial degree of support and trust -- with one or two exceptions.

During that long span, the superintendents were criticized, as expected. They were not lauded as visionaries. But William Bashaw, Gene Witt and Dan Nolan had credibility and, as a result, usually received the benefit of the doubt if something went awry.

Since public confidence has evaporated, Mills and his administration must build credibility on their own.

Mills has an impressive background in education and the military and, as superintendent, will wield substantial power.

But he and his administration cannot rely on their titles or authority to gain support. They cannot simply say "trust us" and expect the school district staff or the public to be compliant.

Mills appears to have backing from members of a selection committee and the School Board. However, he'll have to earn the public's support the old-fashioned way -- by earning it.

More than his job is at stake.

Whether in Manatee or any other district, the public's view of the entire local-education system depends largely on two factors:

1. The attitude of parents and children, and teachers, toward their particular school.

2. The public's perception of the superintendent and his or her performance -- and approach to the job. People want to like, respect and trust the superintendent.

Those factors generally matter far more than any grand vision.

People want results from the superintendent, not abstract ideas. For Mills, the short-term vision should be of a district where things simply work.

Mills has the benefit of an outsider's fresh start (he came to Manatee from Minneapolis, by way of Chicago and a career as an officer in the U.S. Army) but he will be hampered by the loss of trust in the school district's administration and a vocal segment of the community that dislikes government and begrudges educators decent salaries and benefits.

It's encouraging that a priority of his 100-day plan is listening. There is no doubt people want to hear Mills' thoughts and aspirations, but they need to believe that their views matter every bit as much as the superintendent's vision. I hope he will be able to put the views of critics in perspective, and tap into a too-silent majority that values public education and wants to invest in it -- so long as the district is accountable and the money is well-spent.

The emphasis in Mills' plan on creating management systems that promote fiscal accountability will be, if it is effectively implemented, a crucial component for gaining -- or regaining -- the backing of public-education supporters.

The district certainly needs better tools and teams for evaluating and budgeting finances. Investments in staff and technology will be needed.

But I hope the new administration relies less on accounting buzz words (and fancy presentation methods) and more on old-fashioned accountability.

In other words, master basic math: Count numbers correctly. Make them add up.

The superintendent's plan also recognizes the need to bolster the school district's academic achievement, especially at under-performing schools, and reinvigorate a teaching corps that has been demoralized by pay cuts and embarrassed by the School Board and district administration. Progress on both fronts is vital.

Before Mills can successfully take on these two tough tasks, he will need personal and political capital -- the dividends he will earn if Manateeans buy into his leadership.

Tom Tryon is opinion editor. Tom.Tryon@heraldtribune.com.

This story appeared in print on page A18

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